Loyal Michael also contrasted the accessibility of well-known Irish ­people with big UK stars, recalling seeing a huge celebrity getting out of a car to attend an event who “was surrounded by minders and a whole crowd of people”.

He added: “He was in a totally different league and a kind of superstar. Whereas in Ireland, people feel comfortable about coming up and engaging with you.

“It’s a nicer vibe and everything is more laid-back. Marty has a very bubbly, outgoing personality as we know. He enjoys what he does and fair play to him.

“People know his face off the telly and he seems to enjoy that craic. We all know the Marty party catchphrase and we’d slag him about it in RTE, by asking him, ‘Where is the Marty party tonight?’

“I think the Marty party is great and Marty enjoys the craic. He doesn’t drink but he’s out later than me most nights.”

But Michael blasted back, saying: “I don’t think Marty is over-exposed, and what is being over-exposed in Ireland anyway? We all do our own thing.

“I stuck to doing the Sunday Game on RTE for 35 years but Marty, along with his core role as a GAA commentator, does things like the Ploughing, and Dancing With the Stars, but it suited his bubbly personality and very much Marty’s way of doing things.”

Marty survived to week eight in this year’s DWTS while Des made it to week ten in the first season. But Michael has no plans to follow them and sign up.

The TV legend — who suffered a ­cardiac arrest in 2015 but recovered to return to screens — said: “I have a busy schedule ahead and you can’t take on something like that unless you’re totally committed.